Twins Aundrea Davis (left) and Adriane Davis, 18, cheer for their classmates walking across the stage as they wait their turn to do the same during Wagner High School’s graduation at the Alamodome on Tuesday, June 5, 2012.

Twins Aundrea Davis (left) and Adriane Davis, 18, cheer for their classmates walking across the stage as they wait their turn to do the same during Wagner High School’s graduation at the Alamodome on Tuesday,

Adriane (left) and Aundrea Davis are preparing for the challenge of not being together for the first time in their lives. They’ll be attending Texas colleges about 500 miles apart.

Adriane (left) and Aundrea Davis are preparing for the challenge of not being together for the first time in their lives. They’ll be attending Texas colleges about 500 miles apart.

Photo: Helen L. Montoya, San Antonio Express-News

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Aundrea Davis (left) watches as her twin sister, Adriane Davis, shakes the hand of Dr. Willis Mackey, superintendent of the Judson Independent School District, as they walk across the stage during Wagner High School’s graduation at the Alamodome on Tuesday, June 5, 2012.

Aundrea Davis (left) watches as her twin sister, Adriane Davis, shakes the hand of Dr. Willis Mackey, superintendent of the Judson Independent School District, as they walk across the stage during Wagner High

Aundrea Davis, 18, and her twin sister, Adriane Davis (right), share a fist bump backstage as they wait to walk across the stage during Wagner High School's graduation at the Alamodome on Tuesday, June 5, 2012.

Aundrea Davis, 18, and her twin sister, Adriane Davis (right), share a fist bump backstage as they wait to walk across the stage during Wagner High School's graduation at the Alamodome on Tuesday, June 5, 2012.

Photo: Lisa Krantz, San Antonio Express-News

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Twins Adriane Davis, 18 (left), and Aundrea Davis, wait for graduation to begin in line with their classmates before Wagner High School's graduation at the Alamodome on Tuesday, June 5, 2012.

Twins Adriane Davis, 18 (left), and Aundrea Davis, wait for graduation to begin in line with their classmates before Wagner High School's graduation at the Alamodome on Tuesday, June 5, 2012.

Photo: Lisa Krantz, San Antonio Express-News

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Wagner's Adriane Davis (left) fires a shot in a game against Steele.

Wagner's Adriane Davis (left) fires a shot in a game against Steele.

Photo: Courtesy Photo

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Wagner's Aundrea Davis makes her way down the court in a game against Steele.

Wagner's Aundrea Davis makes her way down the court in a game against Steele.

Photo: Courtesy Photo

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Wagner twins Adriane and Aundrea Davis double-team a Steele player during a game.

Wagner twins Adriane and Aundrea Davis double-team a Steele player during a game.

Photo: Courtesy Photo

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Wagner High School basketball players Aundrea and Adriane Davis each signed letters of intent to play college ball. Aundrea has signed with South Plains College while twin sister Adriane will play for Blinn College. The sisters are three-year Wagner lettermen, All-Academic and were selected to the First team 25-5A All-District team. The twins were an integral part in leading Wagner to the UIL state semi-finals and three district championships.

Wagner High School basketball players Aundrea and Adriane Davis each signed letters of intent to play college ball. Aundrea has signed with South Plains College while twin sister Adriane will play for Blinn

Destiny Amezquita is stripped of the ball before she can attempt a last second shot as Aundrea Davis (left) and Adriane Davis vamp on the ball to help Wagner defeat Jay 48-47 in girls playoff action at Littleton Gym on Feb. 17, 2012.

Destiny Amezquita is stripped of the ball before she can attempt a last second shot as Aundrea Davis (left) and Adriane Davis vamp on the ball to help Wagner defeat Jay 48-47 in girls playoff action at

Churchill's Danielle Espinoza (34) takes a shot past Wagner's Adriane Davis (23) during a UIL 5A girls third-round playoff game between the Thunderbirds and the Chargers at the UTSA Convocation Center on Feb.

Johnson's Erica Sanders (3) looks for room to dribble as Wagner's Adriane Davis (left) and Tesha Smith (right) close in during a UIL 5A girls bidistrict playoff game at the UTSA Convocation Center on Feb. 13, 2012.

Johnson's Erica Sanders (3) looks for room to dribble as Wagner's Adriane Davis (left) and Tesha Smith (right) close in during a UIL 5A girls bidistrict playoff game at the UTSA Convocation Center on Feb. 13,

Wagner's Adriane Davis (23) gets off a shot in the lane during a UIL 5A girls bidistrict playoff game between Johnson and Wagner at the UTSA Convocation Center on Feb. 13, 2012.

Wagner's Adriane Davis (23) gets off a shot in the lane during a UIL 5A girls bidistrict playoff game between Johnson and Wagner at the UTSA Convocation Center on Feb. 13, 2012.

Photo: John Albright / For The Express-News

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Wagner's Aundrea Davis (12) protects the ball from Churchill's Leslie Vorpahl (right) during a UIL 5A girls third-round playoff game between the Thunderbirds and the Chargers at the UTSA Convocation Center on Feb. 20, 2012.

Wagner's Aundrea Davis (12) protects the ball from Churchill's Leslie Vorpahl (right) during a UIL 5A girls third-round playoff game between the Thunderbirds and the Chargers at the UTSA Convocation Center on

Wagner junior Aundrea Davis (12) dribbles the ball up the court during the Region IV-5A girls semifinals game between the Thunderbirds and the Harlingen South in the UTSA Convocation Center on Feb. 25, 2011.

Wagner junior Aundrea Davis (12) dribbles the ball up the court during the Region IV-5A girls semifinals game between the Thunderbirds and the Harlingen South in the UTSA Convocation Center on Feb. 25, 2011.

Photo: JOHN ALBRIGHT, For The Express-News

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Wagner junior Aundrea Davis (12) grabs a rebound during the Region IV-5A girls semifinals game between the Thunderbirds and the Harlingen South in the UTSA Convocation Center on Feb. 25, 2011.

Wagner junior Aundrea Davis (12) grabs a rebound during the Region IV-5A girls semifinals game between the Thunderbirds and the Harlingen South in the UTSA Convocation Center on Feb. 25, 2011.

Wagner's Adriane Davis and Corpus Christi King's Kelsie Jackson grab for a rebound during first half action of the Region IV-5A final Saturday, Feb. 26, 2011 at the UTSA Convocation Center.

Wagner's Adriane Davis and Corpus Christi King's Kelsie Jackson grab for a rebound during first half action of the Region IV-5A final Saturday, Feb. 26, 2011 at the UTSA Convocation Center.

Photo: EDWARD A. ORNELAS, San Antonio Express-News

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Churchill's Rebecca Flores (40) grabs a rebound in front of Wagner's Aundrea Davis (12) during a UIL 5A girls third-round playoff game between the Thunderbirds and the Chargers at the UTSA Convocation Center on Feb. 20, 2012.

Churchill's Rebecca Flores (40) grabs a rebound in front of Wagner's Aundrea Davis (12) during a UIL 5A girls third-round playoff game between the Thunderbirds and the Chargers at the UTSA Convocation Center

Wagner's Adriane Davis (23) tries to take a shot between Churchill's Leslie Vorpahl (left) and Danielle Espinoza (right) during a UIL 5A girls third-round playoff game between the Thunderbirds and the Chargers at the UTSA Convocation Center on Feb. 20, 2012.

Wagner's Adriane Davis (23) tries to take a shot between Churchill's Leslie Vorpahl (left) and Danielle Espinoza (right) during a UIL 5A girls third-round playoff game between the Thunderbirds and the Chargers

Churchill's Leslie Vorpahl (20) and Wagner's Aundrea Davis (12) battle for a loose ball during a UIL 5A girls third-round playoff game between the Thunderbirds and the Chargers at the UTSA Convocation Center on Feb. 20, 2012.

Churchill's Leslie Vorpahl (20) and Wagner's Aundrea Davis (12) battle for a loose ball during a UIL 5A girls third-round playoff game between the Thunderbirds and the Chargers at the UTSA Convocation Center

Churchill's Leslie Vorpahl (20) tries to steel the ball from Wagner's Adriane Davis (23) during a UIL 5A girls third-round playoff game between the Thunderbirds and the Chargers at the UTSA Convocation Center on Feb. 20, 2012.

Churchill's Leslie Vorpahl (20) tries to steel the ball from Wagner's Adriane Davis (23) during a UIL 5A girls third-round playoff game between the Thunderbirds and the Chargers at the UTSA Convocation Center

Wagner's Adriane Davis looks to pass the ball as Churchill's Leslie Vorpahl (20) and Rebecca Flores defend during a UIL 5A girls third-round playoff game between the Thunderbirds and the Chargers at the UTSA Convocation Center on Feb. 20, 2012.

Wagner's Adriane Davis looks to pass the ball as Churchill's Leslie Vorpahl (20) and Rebecca Flores defend during a UIL 5A girls third-round playoff game between the Thunderbirds and the Chargers at the UTSA

Wagner's Adriane Davis (right) drives around Del Rio's Jazmin Torres during the first half of their playoff game on Friday, Feb. 24, 2012, at UTSA. Wagner won 58-46.

Wagner's Adriane Davis (right) drives around Del Rio's Jazmin Torres during the first half of their playoff game on Friday, Feb. 24, 2012, at UTSA. Wagner won 58-46.

Photo: Darren Abate, For The Express-News

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Twins overcome hardships to excel on and off court

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Most people know twins Adriane and Aundrea Davis as the dynamic defense duo on the basketball court who propelled an underdog Wagner High School team to regional and state tournaments.

But the two seniors, who graduated Tuesday at the Alamodome, privately faced many challenges, using a tumultuous home life as a springboard to personal success.

They were 2 when a man killed their mother over drugs. They lived with their maternal grandmother in Corpus Christi until age 10, when she developed Alzheimer's disease. They moved in with their sister, then 23, back in San Antonio, sharing a room with two nephews for the next few years.

Their grandmother no longer recognizes them. They never met their father.

“We don't really tell most people about this, as we don't want pity, and crying is a sign of weakness,” Aundrea said. But seconds later, wiping tears back, she added, “I haven't talked about some of this, in years, or ever. I channel all that into school and basketball.”

Now the twins, 18, inseparable on and off the court, are preparing for yet another challenge: For the first time in their lives, they won't be together. The have won scholarships at Texas colleges about 500 miles apart.

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“We're pretty excited, but maybe it hasn't set in yet,” Adriane said. “We're best friends, so I guess it's going to be hard.”

Tough childhood

On Feb. 12, 1994, the twins were born seven minutes apart in San Antonio. They have two older brothers and their older sister, all from the same mother, Sherrill J. Davis, but all from different fathers.

“We really don't know how big our family is because we haven't met everyone,” Aundrea said. “All we know about our father is that his name is Tony, or Tommy, wait, no, Tony I think. But it doesn't matter. He had long hair, light skin and worked with our brother at H-E-B. That's it.”

On Aug. 3, 1996, while visiting their maternal grandmother in Corpus Christi, their mother, 40, was shot to death at the apartment complex where they lived, the twins said.

They credit their grandmother, Johnny May Davis, for instilling their faith and showing them what nurturing was like. What hurts the most isn't the past, it's the present, when they visit her, Adriane said.

Back in San Antonio, they wanted to be like their two brothers, who played basketball often. So they took it up in middle school, and it became everything.

Wagner's head girls basketball coach, Christina Camacho, said she saw them play as eighth-graders and “knew that they were going to be very good players despite their height.”

The girls are about 5 feet 4 inches tall.

“We weren't going to let that get in the way,” Aundrea said. Adriane interjected, “We could still grow.”

Slam-dunk success

The twins have helped the Wagner Thunderbirds develop into the top girls basketball program in the area. In their four years there, Wagner went 123-27 and made the 2011 Class 5A state tournament.

Both are lock-down defenders. Opponents called them “pests” — a big compliment for the small guards.

Their scrappiness carried Wagner this season to a shockingly deep playoff run. They lost to Reagan in a regional final.

The twins make A's and B's, but they said studying and basketball hasn't left time for much else. They are dating, but cautiously, they said, to avoid their mother's mistakes.

Recently, they bypassed prom for a college basketball recruiting showcase.

“It just shows how dedicated and driven they are to the sport and making sure they have a path to college,” Camacho said.

The twins have been reluctant, but mentors at school encouraged them to go public with their story, to show peers facing tough home lives that they could go against the odds. “What we came from doesn't give us an excuse to do the same thing,” Aundrea said.

Their sister still supports them. Teachers, coaches and staff at Wagner have helped. Principal Milton Fields III said he's sad to see them leave but that their achievements are inspiring.

“They are really good kids, academically, behaviorally and athletically,” Fields said. “They have dealt with some of the worst in life and are the best we have to offer.”

Last week, Adriane signed with Blinn College in Brenham, and Aundrea signed with South Plains College in Levelland, in West Texas. They're trying to differentiate themselves, dying their hair different colors. They believe the separation is for the best.

The longest they have ever been away from each other is one week.

“Right now, we get on each other's nerves, sometimes, so I think we'll appreciate each other more and grow into our own identities,” Adriane said. “But when I look at my twin, she's the only one who's been here for the whole ride, and we love each other. That won't change.”